Recovery Phase Research
Welcome to the HPR research library, where we are compiling peer-reviewed research studies and articles supporting each phase of the High Performance Routine.
Click one of the buttons below to access papers supporting the importance of each phase.
If you know of any missing papers, please contact us.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes.
Including you.”
~ Anne Lamott
Is the afternoon the best time to exercise?
This large study has 2 important findings:
LED lights have potential drawbacks on human health, particularly sleep quality, mood, productivity and long-term health effects.
Sleep quality predicts day-level vigour. And: The benefits of good sleep quality decrease over the course of the day, particularly when workload is high
Sleeping between learning sessions reduces the amount of practice needed by 50%, and ensures better long-term retention.
Research shows that for every extra hour spent outdoors, you’re more likely to be happier, and to lower the likelihood of depression and antidepressant use.
Micro-breaks have a statistically significant effect on vigour and fatigue
Work related activities during leisure time have a negative impact on situational well-being.
Going for a walk in nature can help prevent against mental strain and potentially disease.
Working parents experience better recovery when they psychologically distance themselves from work.
Lunchtime walks lead to better concentration and less fatigue in the afternoon.
Low social activity and absence of positive work reflection during the weekend are strong predictors of burnout and poor general well-being.
In addition to deliberate practice, deliberate rest is also used by the “Top Performers” to increase their performance – an often overlooked element of this research by K. Anders Ericsson, Ralf Th. Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Romer.
Optimising recovery from work can restore energy and mental resources, which in turn could decrease the development of sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease.
Where sleep is restricted for more than four days, effects will be evident across a range of cognitive abilities, including working memory, attention, language skills and communication.
Rest can facilitate the consolidation of newly formed memories. Even a few minutes of rest with closed eyes can improve memory, perhaps to the same degree as a full night of sleep.
17 hours of sustained wakefulness, such as a long day in the office, has been shown to result in behavioural changes equivalent to drinking 2 glasses of wine.
After 24 hours, you may act as if you have drunk 4 glasses of wine. Diminished cognitive performance can have huge repercussions for professionals whose jobs demand critical attention to detail, such as surgeons, pilots, and drivers.
Poor quality sleep can result in bad leadership and an un-productive team.
It is associated with leader daily abusive behaviours and ego depletion, which in turn affects work engagement and performance.